The grieving mother of Devon schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling claimed today that a British tourist saw her daughter being sexually assaulted hours before her body was found on a beach in Goa.

Fiona MacKeown, 43, has forced Indian police to reopen an investigation into her daughter's death after it was initially dismissed as a case of drowning.

The 15-year-old's body was found naked except for a bikini top pulled up to expose her breasts on Anjuna beach above the high tide line.

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'No accident': Scarlett Keeling's body was found half-naked and with ante-mortem injuries

After publicity following her daughter's death, Mrs MacKeown claims to have received emails suggesting a British man witnessed the violent assault on Scarlett.

"This tourist was so shocked to see the intensity of the assault and felt so helpless to assist my daughter, that he informed two of his friends the details of the assault and immediately left Goa in fear of his life and liberty," said Mrs MacKeown.

Claiming police had consistently lied in a bid to cover up her daughter's murder, Mrs MacKeown claims to have uncovered evidence suggesting she was sexually assaulted before being killed.

A post-mortem investigation found sand in Scarlett's mouth but little water in her lungs.

"The fact is that my daughter did not drown in the sea but died of asphyxia when her face was pushed into the sand by her assailants," said Mrs MacKeown.

"The body of my daughter was found on the sand and not in the sea, as falsely stated by the police.

"Her body was found naked, yet the police informed me she was in her swimwear.

"There are a large number of abrasions on her body, yet the police tried their best to convince me as well as the media that the body did not have any abrasions. They have lied all the way through."

Scarlett, from Bideford, Devon, had been on a six-month backpacking holiday with her mother, her mother's partner Rob and her six brothers and sisters, arriving in Goa on November 22.

After fighting for the truth behind her daughter's death, Mrs MacKeown believes it is even possible police were involved in Scarlett's rape and murder.

She said: "Three weeks back an Australian female tourist was relaxing in the south Anjuna Beach after dark. She did not possess any contraband but was bodily searched and then raped by men in uniform.

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Evil inder the sun: Anjuna Beach in Goa has a seedy underside

"When she went to the police station in Anjuna the duty officer dissuaded her from lodging a complaint, explaining that such a complaint would cause huge harassment to her before she could get justice. She left the country without officially reporting the matter.

"A large number of tourists from countries including England, Italy, Germany, Australia and France have shared their experiences with me, verbally and on email."

Scarlett was last seen alive with two "unsavoury characters" at Lui's Cafe on south Anjuna beach at 4am of February 18. Her body was still warm when discovered nearby at 6.30am.

Describing her daughter as a typical teenager, Mrs MacKeown told how Scarlett had fallen into a holiday romance with a local tour guide.

The 25-year-old guide, Julio Lobo, started taking Scarlett out to parties and on boat trips, leading to a series of family rows.

Claims by Indian police that initial tests on Scarlett's body showed no signs of foul play and that she had died from drowning have been rubbished by her family.

Family friend Dakini Runningbear said: "The death of Scarlett was not a death by drowning as reported by the police.

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'Cover-up': Scarlett's mother, Fiona MacKeown, says it is 'strange' that police have recorded Scarlett's body as having been found floating in the sea when it was discovered above the high-tide mark

"The police, in full knowledge of the facts of her death, have lied to the press when they said there were no abrasions or assault on her body, and that the cause of death was drowning in the sea.

"They have lied to Scarlett's mother and they have lied to the media.

"The autopsy report, while exposing the lies of the police, discloses five abrasions on Scarlett's body.

"The fact is there are nearly 50 abrasions covering the body, including the genitalia area."

Mrs MacKeown added: "The body was found lying in the sand above the line of high tide. The only garment on her was a bikini top that had been pulled up to expose her breasts.

"It is strange that the police have recorded the body to have been floating in the sea.

"Scarlett was an excellent swimmer and accustomed to the rough and turbulent Devon sea. I find it hard to believe she could have drowned accidentally in the tranquil Goa waters."